Beyond the Border | ✔

28 | rule 107

RULE 107: YOU MUST FORGET YOUR FAMILY ON THE OUTSIDE. THEY NO LONGER EXIST TO YOU.

✷ C H A P T E R T W E N T Y - E I G H T ✷

"I just sent out a group of my best warriors to take a look at the Border's edge to see if – on the off chance –  there's any evidence," Theo stated as his face softened from his cold and calculating concentration. Apparently, when he would enforce his Alpha Orders over the mind link, it took a great deal of concentration.

    "Even after twelve years?" I asked, doubtful.

    The Council told me Theo was very affluent; he would be very connected, and, thus, a smart leader, but I couldn't quite fathom what searching the Border would accomplish. Ma had been dragged over twelve years ago. More than likely, if there was any evidence, it would have either been washed away or carried away by some other creature that lurked Outside.

    I couldn't explain why this made me feel a bit upset. I should be thankful Theo was finally looking for Ma, but was he looking in the right places? I couldn't be sure as I began to feel on edge. I had to find out what happened. I didn't want to believe Theo's words, but they could be true: there could be a possibility Ma was not dragged over the Border, and I had to find out the truth — whatever the outcome.

    For twelve years, I had been content to believe Ma was dead, but something had awoken inside me, and I wasn't so sure I could leave the Outside now without knowing. There would always be questions taunting me if I did not find out the truth. I told myself I would have to be a bigger person and give up the search for Ma if it came down to it in order to secure a witch. But, now, I was doubting if I would be able to follow through with that plan.

    Three weeks was the timeframe I had left to find Ma and a witch. I hoped it would be enough time to achieve both goals. Technically, though, I did have longer than three weeks, but I didn't want to go past being on the Outside for more than two months; it was a risk I was not willing to take unless I absolutely had to.

    "I want to be thorough," Theo reasoned, not too thrilled with my pushback. "We need to cover all our bases. Now, does your family have any connections on the Outside?"

    "What?" I recoiled back. Why would he think I had connections on the Outside?

    Theo sighed heavily before looking me square in the eye. "Every person stuck inside the Borderlands has a family on the Outside — distant or not."

    I slowly nodded my head, relaxing. He was right. Pop talked about how his parents left behind their brothers and sisters in order to live in the Borderlands. His family did not believe isolation was the solution to the Supernatural's appearance, so his parents had to leave them behind. Therefore, I did have family on the Outside, but I had no earthly clue who and where they were.

    It was a similar situation for Ma. Ma's family was brought here by my very authoritative great-grandpa, but I did not know much beyond that. Ma's parents died when she was seventeen, and she was an only child. Ma's family — besides me — was all on the Outside, if they were alive at all. But, I was certain Ma had no way of communicating with them.

    "Not that I know of," I sighed, my breath blowing a piece of blonde hair in my face. I took a few seconds before I brushed my hair back into place. "But, I was eight years old. I doubt she would have entrusted that information with me."

    Theo nodded his head in thought. "Was it ever explained why she was dragged over the Border?"

    I stared straight ahead, my mind coming up blank. It always had been explained to me she was dragged over. I took that explanation at face value because it did not matter the reason why she went over the Border. After all – in any case – she was dead.